There’s no need to wait! Fr. Aidan Rooney, CM writes… (español abajo) We’ve just begun planning for training in collaboration as part of our National Vincentian Family 2015 gathering in Bolivia. Members of VFCAP will be here to help us. But there’s no need to wait when possibilities exist in the upcoming Vincentian Family “Year of Collaboration.” There are lots of things to be done and people willing to do them!

What do you do when you need help that you can’t find in your own country? You collaborate!

In another province (Beni), the Daughters of Charity will collaborate with the inter-provincial Mission Team of CLAPVI-SUR (provinces of Argentina, Chile, Perú, and Ecuador, and the mission in Bolivia) in the renovation of a “priest-less” zone. The training of the missionaries was funded by a grant from the East-USA CMs.

What do you do in a Vincentian Mission when there are no other Vincentian Family branches around? You collaborate!

This year, in the Bolivian Altiplano mission of the Congregation of the Mission, the parish in Mocomoco embarks on a new venture. After establishing a catechetical and formation center in Ingas with collaboration of COVIDE-AMVE of Spain, the Eastern CM province of the USA, the Vincentian Solidarity office, the people of the local community, the faculty of the local school and supporters in La Paz, we’re reaching out for deeper collaborative systemic change. In a few days, with our support, local authorities will approach the Salesian Family to transform the school into a “Escuela Popular Don Bosco,” with much more local control. Additionally, the people will start producing all the vegetables we need for the mid-day meal program (and more, to provide an income to many families), supported by another start-up grant from Spain. Finally, we will co-finance a sports development program for the high school which lacks a true physical education program. In 2015, we’ll collaborate with whoever is willing. Want to help?

Here’s what I’m reading these days: Lani Guarnier. The Tyranny of Meritocracy. Thanks Kindle! It provides some interesting insights on collaboration versus competition.

Read the full post at http://vocesvicentinas.org/2015/02/09/a-year-of-collaboration/